


Breaking the Chains

by Chimpukampu



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: And a cunning Ez, Elf/Human Relationship(s), Established Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince), F/F, F/M, Gen, I miss these trio so much, Post-Canon S3, Rayllum, We need more badass Rayllum
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:21:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25233820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chimpukampu/pseuds/Chimpukampu
Summary: After the failed assassination attempt, Ezran found out that there are still people who refused to accept the peace between the human and the elves alike. The question is: are they from the Human Kingdom or Xadia?With the help of Callum and Rayla, the trio soon realized that breaking the chains from the past has never been easy.
Relationships: Callum & Ezran & Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 38
Kudos: 118





	1. The Assassination

**Author's Note:**

> Who would've thought that the cure for my writing block that I've been nursing for more than a year is by writing from a different fandom?

Being a child king has its perks and disadvantages.

You may be able to get whatever you want and command anyone to follow your biddings, that doesn't mean there will be no opposition.

Ever since he assumed the throne at the age of ten - though he abdicated few days after to spare Katolis from a civil war, only to be hailed again after the infamous battle in the Storm Spire - Ezran's life has been placed under scrutiny not only by the Pentarchy but also by the elven kingdoms in Xadia, something that he finds ridiculously unfair. 

He wasn't the only child ruler out there that has no regent. Queen Aanya took over the throne at the age of eight, no regent, and has participated in the battle against Viren's army in the Storm Spire, but never once she faced harsh criticism from other kingdoms like him.

_Ah, it must be because of my bond to Zym._

The Dragon Prince, who was once considered a threat to humans and a source of unlimited power, became a symbol of miracle and peace. If not for Zym and his reunion with his mother Queen Zubeia, the war between the Human Kingdoms and Xadia will never end.

"I miss you guys so much," he muttered as he wrote down the words on the parchment paper. "And I can't wait to see you in Katolis next week."

Dipping his quill on the ink, he added: "P.S. Please avoid getting mushy in front of Zym. You have no idea how many incriminating images he projected to my innocent brain."

He can only imagine their flustered faces once they receive his letter.

A loud knock broke his reverie.

"Come in."

His bedroom door swung open, revealing Soren in his usual Crownguard armor. "Ez? It's past your bedtime. Opeli might kill us both if you're going to be late in your weekly council's meeting again."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." the young king scowled as he rolled the parchment paper and sealed it with a King's seal. "After I drop this to the Crow Lord, okay?"

"I can do that for you if you want." he offered.

"Ooh, that would be great!" Ezran hopped from his chair then handed the letter over to Soren, who immediately tucked it in his sleeve. "That letter is going to the Storm Spire."

"For your brother, huh?" the blond smirked. "Are Callum and Rayla gonna be here for the harvest festival?"

"I threatened him that I'm going to burn all of his board game collections if they ditch me next week."

"Not stripping his Prince title? Or at least booting him as your next in line heir?"

"Nah. He'd rather live his life as a mage than to be royalty."

"Fair point." Soren nodded in understanding, then tapped his sleeve."I'll make sure that he'll get this first thing in the morning."

"Awesome!" the young king grinned toothily then yawned, which earned a chuckle. "Good night, Soren."

"Sleep well, Your Highness." the Crownguard bowed then closed the door.

Ezran squinted his eyes then broke another yawn. He hasn't got any decent sleep for the past weeks due to the festival preparations, and there were cases where his duty calls outside his working hours. Who would've thought festivals are not always about food and games?

"C'mon Bait, it's bedtime," he muttered as he walked groggily towards his huge bed, then stopped when he heard a slight bustle near his window. "Bait?"

He swore he closed the window.

Before he could react, a large shadow loomed behind him and turned everything to blank.

.

.

.

"Stop it, Zym. Playtime's over." Rayla admonished as she dragged a whimpering baby dragon back to the lair. "It's past your bedtime."

Zym whined childishly with a zap.

"No means no."

He whined again.

" _Azymondias_." Queen Zubeia's stern voice reverberated along the corridor. "What did I tell you about playing after bedtime?"

Zym turned to Rayla with his best Baby Eyes look, but the elven Dragonguard remained unperturbed.

" **_Azymondias!_ **" the queen yelled again.

The baby dragon whimpered, then waddled towards his mother with sagged wings.

"Good night, Zym." Rayla blew him a kiss. "Good night too, your Highness."

"Good night, Rayla." the queen sighed with mirth. "And good luck with your mage."

 _My mage, huh?_ the Moonshadow elf frowned at the thought of removing Callum whom she swore was currently buried in the library with books.

She may be in love with her cute nerdy boyfriend, but her cute nerdy boyfriend was a huge pain in the ass these days.

Sometimes she has to fight tooth and nails to remove him from whatever project he was trying to engorge, not to mention forcing him to stop from overwork.

If her seduction plan failed, she might resort to using a brute force with her weapon's hilt and knocking him unconscious.

She was about to leave the lair when Zym suddenly cried in pain.

" **_Zym?!_ **"

Rayla stopped dead in her tracks when the young dragon began to convulse violently and shot several lightning bolts across the room. One of them hit her squarely in the chest, which assaulted her mentally with several images of Ezran and his current situation.

Ezran in his sleeping garments.

Ezran talking to Soren and bidding him goodnight.

Ezran approaching an open window.

Ezran with a dark figure standing behind him, holding a sharp blade above his head.

All the blood drained out from Rayla's face when the last projected scene was the glinted blade and Ezran's horrified scream.

_Oh no._

.

.

.

He promised Rayla that he'd be back in their quarters once the first candle was out.

He's on his third candle and still not in their quarters yet.

 _She'll probably kill me_ , Callum thought as he turned another page of the book and scribbled something on his notes.

He was researching more about magical fireworks, something that Ibis offhandedly mentioned weeks ago.

The Skywing mage said that _Fulminis_ has lots of variations, like how adding _-frigis_ in _Aspiro_ can turn a whirlwind rune into ice, and one of them is shooting lightning but with colors.

Ever since then, Callum has been camping in the Spire's library to learn more about how to shoot magical fireworks in different colors and patterns to the sky.

He still hasn't figured out some magical pyrotechnics yet, and with only a few remaining days before the harvest festival, he knew that he was running out of time.

It's his surprise gift for Ezran, and Rayla was onboard to his plans, but his beautiful, stubborn girlfriend refused to bargain his sleeping hours for the sake of his project. She also banned him from making hot brown morning potion after sundown, even threatened everyone in the Spire - including poor Zym - if they smuggled him some brown beans behind her back.

 _You and I both know about your obsessive-compulsive behavior towards learning new kinds of stuff,_ Rayla scolded him the first time he attempted to pull an allnighter. _I'm not mothering you, okay? I'm doing this because I love you._

Sometimes he hates how Rayla knows his weaknesses.

The young prince decided to call it a night. 

He was sorting out the books that he borrowed when he heard a loud crash under his table. He crouched down to inspect, then groaned in defeat when he saw his shattered water glass and the mess that seeped in the carpet.

"What a way to call it a night," he grumbled as he fetched a broom and a dustpan from a nearby cleaning closet.

He was about to pick one of the large shards and drop it to the bin when the library door opened, revealing a disheveled Rayla.

"Callum, it's Ez. He's -"

Before she could finish her sentence, Callum immediately ran outside.


	2. Breaking the News

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was supposed to post this next week and make it a bit longer but my brain is telling me to post it so here ya go! Next chapter will be longer.

"Callum! Hey wait, Callum!" Rayla yelled as she chased him hot on her heels. "Callum, stop!"

Unfortunately for her, the prince has no plans of stopping his tracks.

Furious at his stubborn attitude, the Moonshadow elf clicked her tongue then used her agility to leap in front of him and block his way.

"What the _hell_ are you doing, Rayla?!" Callum was bristling with a scarlet face and blood-shot eyes brimmed with tears. "My brother is in danger!"

"And how are you planning to go to Katolis, _fly_?"

" _Yes_!"

She gasped incredulously then grasped both of his shoulders so he could face her squarely. " _Are you stupid?!_ You can’t simply fly across Xadia with your mage wings! Even Skywing elves have to use an ambler to cross the Midnight Desert!”

Callum pushed himself forward with clenched fists. "So you want me to stay here and do nothing?"

"I want you to think!" she yelled at him equally as her tears began to fall. "Or at least use your dumb bird brain before you jump into a suicide plan!"

"But Ez is - "

"Currently _protected_ by Soren and his Crownguards." Rayla emphasized as she regained her composure, and when she felt that his shoulders slacked a bit, she added: "Ez will be okay, Cal. Listen to me - _Ez is going to be okay_ . If he was able to survive from the battle in the Storm Spire all by himself, he will definitely survive _this_."

The mental exhaustion that he had from studying spells, his lack of sleep, and the adrenaline rush that suddenly came after hearing the news were all crashing down. It was too overwhelming, and the thought that his younger brother's life was at risk while he was several miles away made him shudder and slumped to the ground. His hands were clammy as he covered his face out of frustration and helplessness. And when he felt a familiar warmth around his body, his dam immediately broke.

"Oh, Callum." she sobbed as she pulled him closer.

"I - I don't know what to do, Ray." the prince sniffled, burrowing his face against the crook of her neck. "I - I can't bear to lose my baby brother. He - he's the only family that I have left."

She tightened her embrace, relishing his warmth. "You know what to do, Cal. You always have. I will always be here for you, okay? We are going to face this together."

" _We_? What do you mean?" he peeled himself away from her arms, only to see devastation and pain simmering in her lilac eyes. He cupped her face tenderly with his hands out of instinct then wiped her tears gently with his thumbs. "How about your duties here?"

"Abandoning them just like how you will abandon your mage apprenticeship." Rayla forced herself to smile. "I love Ez as much as you love him. He's more than a best friend to me; he's my younger brother. I don't want to lose him too, Cal."

He closed his eyes as he tried to control the brewing storm of emotions that was murking his logical sense. _Ez will be fine. Soren is there to protect him. He’s safe._

The two hugged again for a minute in silence to calm down and to collect their thoughts, and when they fully regained their composure, they stood up in haste.

"Can you prepare all of the essential things that we need for our trip," said Callum as they rushed towards their quarters. "While I talk to Ibis and see if he can lend us a transport that can send us to Katolis in a short time?"

Rayla pecked his lips. "You don't have to ask." 

It turns out that Queen Zubeia covered all of their bases by giving them an indefinite leave from their apprenticeships and allowed them to return to the Spire and resume their training anytime that they want.

Aside from that, she also provided them a transport that was way faster than the Moon Phoenix.

"This is Rubdilium." Ibis introduced them to a Storm dragon who was a bit bigger than Pyrrha but with teal-colored scales and crimson eyes. "And one of the fastest Storm dragons here in Xadia. She can get you both to Katolis around noon.”

The dragon made a puffing noise to show her approval.

“We also installed a carrier on her back so you two can catch some sleep while in the air.”

"Erm, we really appreciate all the efforts and troubles that you have done to us but..." Callum rubbed his neck sheepishly as he averted his gaze from the dragon's indifferent eyes to the archmage's confused face. "I think dragons visiting the land of the humans for the first time in ages can be a bit, I don't know, _mind blowing_ for some, I guess?"

Even though the thousand-year war between the Pentarchy and Xadia ended months ago, there are still some people who held grudges and remained hostile towards dragons and elves, especially those who had bad encounters with them in the past.

He can have Rubdilium drop them somewhere near the Breach, and from there he can use his mage wings to fly them to Katolis. But that would take them at least two days to reach the capitol.

"Don't worry, she can conceal herself even in the daylight." Ibis explained casually then nudged the Storm dragon for a demonstration. Her teal scales ruffled under the moonlight as if she wanted to tilt it to a certain angle, creating a mirror-like effect.

"It's a light refraction trick!" Callum exclaimed with awe.

Rubdilium huffed with amusement at the mage human's starry-eyed expression, while Rayla rolled her eyes indignantly and muttered, "What a dork."

.

.

.

Ezran felt like he was trampled by a dozen of banthers. Multiple times.

There was a stinging sensation on his back that made him wince whenever he shifted to his sides, which he now deemed impossible after they placed a cast around his left leg and elevated it with straps attached to the ceiling.

The doctor said that him falling from a three-storey building saved his life.

He couldn't remember anything before he lost his consciousness. There was a blinding light, but that was probably caused by an impact from his attacker.

Nobody knows who his attacker was, or how his attacker infiltrated the castle without leaving any trace. There was speculation of an inside job, so Soren decided to interrogate all of the royal staff and to check their alibis if they were valid or not, though Ezran felt like that was futile. He might be a kid but he knows that none of them has the conscience to murder their king, much more attacking him without triggering some red flags.

His nurse entered the room again, probably to check his vital signs or give him some additional pain relievers - which he sorely needed - only to realize that she wasn't alone.

"How are you Opeli?" the young king asked as he remained unmoved from his position.

"I'm supposed to ask you that question, Your Majesty." said his loyal adviser who waved her hand as a signal for the nurse to leave the room. "How are your feeling?"

"Sore." he admitted dejectedly. "Like I got run over by a group of banthers. Or maybe hippopotamus. Probably both."

Opeli pulled a chair beside him then held his bandaged hand carefully. "I'm glad that you're okay, Your Majesty."

"I hope the same goes to you, Opeli."

The woman chuckled lightly. She was wearing her white night shirt covered by her thick, scarlet robe, and a bedraggled hair that she tied haphazardly in a bun. There were dark circles underneath her bloodshot eyes that made her look like she aged overnight.

"I'm sorry if I can't attend the council's meeting tomorrow - or was it today because it's past midnight?"

"What are you talking about, Your Majesty? Of course you can't attend the council's meeting. In fact," Opeli remarked. "You're not allowed to leave your bed or attend any public meetings until your wounds are healed."

"Ugh, that sucks." Ezran bemoaned as he stared at the ceiling. "Am I going to be cooped in this ward forever?"

"Once the chambermaids are done with their tasks, you will be moved back to your room so you can recuperate well."

"How about the harvest festival?"

"The council will take care of it." she assured him with a gentle squeeze. "Besides, we still have fifteen days left until the Night of the Harvest Moon, and if you will follow your doctor's orders without any complaints, then maybe you'll be cleared to attend the main events."

Ezran hummed with contemplation. The gash inflicted on his back was pretty minor but still requires some dressing changes. However, his broken ribs might take him at least a month to fully heal, as well as his left leg, but that can be shortened depending on how obedient he's going to be in following orders. His doctor permitted him to use a wheelchair temporarily to move around, or a crutch if his ribs won't sing in pain, as long as he doesn't overexert himself. 

"Any updates on Bait, Opeli?"

"Well, Your Majesty..." the woman mulled over with a sigh. "I'm sorry to say this but... Bait is still in critical condition."

The young king shut his eyes closed to keep his emotions at bay. "He saved my life, Opeli. Bait saved my life. He jumped in front of my attacker and took the blow that was supposed to be fatal. If not for him, I don't think I will be here _alive_."

"Your Majesty, I - "

"If something happened to Bait, I..." his voice hitched, then looked at his advisor with misty eyes. "You have to promise me, Opeli. Promise me that Katolis will do everything to save Bait, even if we have to spend half of the kingdom's reserves to save his life. I don't... I don't know what I will do if he - if _he will die_."

Opeli moved closer to wipe the tears that welled in his light blue orbs. "You have my word, Your Highness. I promise you that we will do everything to save the hero that saved our king."

"And don't forget to supply him with jelly tarts."

"How can we ever forget his unlimited supply of jelly tarts?"

"Thank you, Opeli," Ezran smiled as his advisor stood up. "For everything."

She bowed. "It's a pleasure to serve you, Your Majesty. I believe it's time for me to leave so you can take your rest. Your assigned nurse was kind enough to allow me to see you even though it's beyond visiting hours."

"I specifically instructed her to allow only you, Corvus and Soren to enter my room regardless of time."

She bowed again. "I hope you don't mind that I sent out an urgent message to Prince Calum regarding your assassination attempt."

"You don't have to, honestly." Ezran chuckled much to her confusion. "Zym told Rayla, who also told my brother about what happened. And if Zym was right, both of them will be here on or before noon."

"Then I have to inform the royal staff to prepare for their arrival. Any other special request?"

"I think that would be all. Good night, Opeli."

“Good night, Your Majesty.”

Ezran took a deep sigh as soon as his advisor left the room. As much as he misses his brother and his soon-to-be sister in law (which is going to happen in the future), he doesn't want them to see his current condition. Those two were worrywarts back when they were still traveling to Xadia with Zym, and he wasn't ready to deal with two mother hens while his attacker was still at large.

 _What did I do to make them kill me?_ , was Ezran’s last thoughts before he succumbed to sleep.


	3. Return to Katolis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try to update this before a zine (I'm contributing as an artist) consumes my free time.

"I don't think I will be able to repay you both after all the things that you have done to my son," said Queen Zubeia as Callum and Rayla mounted Rubdilium’s back. The queen of the dragons rarely left her lair ever since she woke up from her deep slumber, so seeing her outside the Spire was a surprise to everyone.

"It was a pleasure to serve you, Your Highness." Rayla took a bow, while Callum gave her a forced grin as he struggled to remove Zym from latching on his thigh.

"I'm sorry, Zym. You can't come with us, you know that right?" the young mage apologized with exasperation, nudging the baby dragon away as he whimpered in protest. "As much as we would like to, but you're too young to leave your Mom's side. Besides, Ez is probably busy and has no time to play with you - _ACK_!"

Callum yelped and almost lost his balance when Zym suddenly yanked his scarf, startling him when the dragon pressed his forehead to his. 

"What _the - !_ " he gasped when familiar images began to flash before his eyes, telling him that these were the things that Ezran saw before the attack. All of them rendered him speechless, but the last image that burned in his mind made him collapse to the ground in tears.

" _Callum_?" Rayla's overprotective instinct kicked in as soon as she saw his paled expression. She immediately knelt beside him, eyeing Zym with apprehension as the dragon prince bounced away happily.

"Rayla?" the mage prince reached out for her hand, squeezing it for assurance. "Ray, it's okay."

"You don't look okay to me."

Callum couldn’t help himself but find it ironic how defensive his girlfriend could be in regards to his well being. It’s like the pot calling the kettle black.

"I'm fine. Zym did not do anything wrong." He chuckled as he wiped his tears hastily with his sleeve, and when her stiff expression slackened a bit, he went on, "He just showed me an update about Ez. He's alive, Ray. He a - oof!"

Callum was taken aback when she suddenly tackled him for a hug. "Oh Gods, thank Heavens! Now we have one less thing to worry about!"

"Yeah!"

Zym flew above them, chirping with glee.

The two separated when Ibis cleared his throat. "Now that everything is in order,” the Skywing mage uttered in his usual stoic voice. “Rubdilium will now fly you both to Katolis and arrive there around noon regardless of the weather condition. I also sent a message to the castle on your behalf so they can prepare for your arrival."

“Thank you, Ibis.”

"And before I forget," Queen Zubeia interjected as Zym settled on her side. "Rayla, Callum...I’m not sure if this would be our last time to see each other again, but I would like to let you both know that the Storm Spire will always be your second home.”

The two looked at each other with misty eyes then stood up, giving the queen a bow with fists on their chests.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“And Rayla?”

The Moonshadow elf immediately stood ramrod straight. “Y - Yes, Your Highness?”

“Consider this as your final task as one of my Dragonguards. Or shall we say, my favorite Dragonguard.” Queen Zubeia extended one of her claws and tapped the insignia that was affixed on Rayla’s uniform. “I command you to protect King Ezran of Katolis with your life, just like how you protected my son, Prince Azymondias. You have to make sure that the king is safe and away from any harm."

"You have my word, Your Highness." Rayla beamed proudly. "I will guard King Ezran with my life."

.

.

.

Ezran stirred, squinting his sky blue eyes when he felt the warmth of sunlight hitting his left cheek, and heard the sound of the birds chirping outside his window. They were chattering about something, but his bed was a bit far from the window to comprehend the topic of their discussion.

The white walls of his assigned medical room were less distracting compared to last night, now that his throbbing headache was gone as well as the stinging sensation from his shoulder down to his lower back. His bed was slightly elevated to accommodate his left leg that was still hanging to the ceiling. He noticed that his bandages were quite new, probably the nurse did it while he was asleep, as he could smell a faint minty odor of salve that was freshly applied to his skin.

He couldn’t see the front of the grandfather’s clock from his position, even if he squinted his eyes and angled his head to his side. He presumed it was an early sunrise, and based on the growling sound of his stomach, it was time for his breakfast.

He wished they could spare him some jelly tarts as dessert.

As if on cue, the nurse entered his room with a tray full of food. 

"Good morning, Your Majesty." she greeted, closing the door shut with her heel. "I'm glad you're now awake."

He scowled indignantly when she unfolded his breakfast tray and placed his meals - a plate of mushroom omelette with beans and toasts, a bowl of Xadian redberries in fresh yogurt, a steaming mug of hot cocoa, and a glass of water. 

"Hey, where's my jelly tart?" he asked.

"I was instructed to give you your usual dessert once you've taken your medicines. And that's after you finished your breakfast." the nurse answered him with a bright smile. "You might be my king, but you're also an injured young boy who needs medical attention. No one can overrule doctor's commands, especially if they're right."

Ezran groaned in defeat as he stabbed his omelette with a fork and chewed it with annoyance.

He was able to clear all of his plate - including the beans that he despised so much but had to eat it after the nurse flashed him a beady glare - and swallowed his bitter medicine like an obedient kid. And true to her words, he got his tray of freshly-baked jelly tarts, and to his surprise, delivered by his confidant Corvus.

"Corvus!" the young king propped up from his bed while being mindful of his leg contraptions. "You're here!"

"I'm not sure if you're excited to see me or the jelly tarts, Your Majesty." his bodyguard snickered as he placed the tray beside Ezran, who quickly grabbed two pastries and stuffed it in his mouth with bliss. 

"Can't I choose both?" he muttered between bites.

"It's a great honor that King Ezran considered me as important as his jelly tarts." 

The nurse shook her head and muttered something about growth spurts and nutritional diets before she excused herself and left the two alone in privacy.

"So, any developments so far?" Ezran asked while wiping the crumbs off from his face and hands.

Corvus slumped on the visitor's chair with a sigh. "Zero, Your Majesty. My team did all of our best to find even a small trace or evidence of infiltration but found none. Whoever attacked you, they really did a good job of cleaning their trails."

“I see.” He pushed the pastry tray away from his side, his gut feeling made him lose his appetite. "Do you think it's an inside job?"

"That's the best plausible answer. And I hate to admit it that it might be true."

"These people...they've been serving the royal house even before my father was born," Ezran muttered despondently. "And it pains me to think that one of these staff whom I considered a family would desire to end my life."

"Lord Viren was your father's best friend, yet look at what happened. I'm sorry - " Corvus' face went ashen as he fumbled his words in panic. "A - Apologies for my blunt words, Your Majesty! I was - I was not thinking straight! It was a long night, a - and my brain is not functioning well that -"

"Psh, you don't need to apologize, Corvus," Ezran snorted, waving his hand casually to stop his blabbers. "But you actually made a great point. Even your closest friends can betray you."

The tracker averted his gaze to the floor in silence.

Three loud raps broke the tension in the room.

"Come in!" Ezran announced, grinning widely when a familiar mop of blond popped in. "Soren!"

"You look so much better now than last night, Ez." the young Crownguard smirked as he approached the king's bed. Soren was the only person in the castle who never addressed Ezran by his title despite knowing how the Council and some royal staff called out his casualness as disrespectful and insulting to the crown. He never called him with his Prince's title even before he assumed the throne. Besides, Ezran told him to treat him like he used to before, so who was he to deny his request?

"Hey, Corvus.” the tracker looked up when Soren called his attention. “You looked like you just swallowed a bunch of sour grapes. Are you alright there, buddy?"

"Corvus and I are talking about something in the past,” Ezran explained briefly. “But it's not important now."

"Oh, I see."

"So, what brings you here?"

"Ah yeah, right." Soren pulled a rolled scroll out from his sleeve and passed it to the young king’s hand. "A shadowhawk from the Storm Spire delivered that letter this morning saying that your brother and Rayla will arrive in Katolis today. With a dragon."

“With a _dragon_ ?” Corvus raised brows incredulously. “How are we going to manage that? I mean, a regular dragon is like, _huge_.”

Soren pointed his index towards his way. “I know right? That’s why everyone is cramming to clear the courtyard - “

“The courtyard is fine,” Ezran interjected, placing the unopened letter on his bedside table. “Zym showed me how big Rubdilium is.”

“Rubdilium?”

“That’s the name of the dragon. She’s a Storm dragon, by the way, and a sweetheart. Plus, she can conceal herself in case some people find her intimidating.”

Corvus hummed with contemplation. “Well that sounds...reassuring I guess.”

The blond slapped his forehead with a groan. "Damn, I forgot that you can talk with that baby dragon telepathically. Oh well, at least my second surprise has not been foiled yet."

"Second surprise?" the young king tilted his head in question. "What do you mean by a second surprise?"

"One sec." Soren raised a finger then rushed towards the door. He was gesturing for someone to come inside, which made Corvus and Ezran stare at each other in confusion. "Oh Ez, you'll never believe this."

Ezran gasped when Barius entered the room cradling a grumpy toad wrapped in bandages.

" _Bait_!"

Bait immediately perked up when a familiar voice called his name, then glowed excitedly when he saw Ezran facing him with his arms wide open.

"Bait, you're alive!" Tears streamed on the young king's face as the glow toad leaped towards him, welcoming his embrace. He clutched his pet with fervor, thanking the Heavens silently for the miracle while being mindful of the injuries.

While Bait enjoyed being coddled, his attention was quickly drawn towards Ezran’s hand. He sniffed the familiar orange smear on his finger, licked it, and when he saw the tray of jelly tarts left abandoned on his side, he immediately swiped the pastries with his elongated tongue and swallowed everything in one gulp. 

His action earned a chuckle from everyone in the room.

"The animal doctor who took care of Bait said that it's a miracle he survived." Barius wiped his tears with the back of his hand as he began to narrate how the royal guards found Bait lying in a pool of blood and how he managed to survive his major operation "He was so lucky that the blade did not slice any of his organs."

Ez pressed his wet cheek against his pet’s uninjured skin. "Oh Bait, thank you for saving my life."

The toad let out a low grumble as a reply. 

.

.

.

Ever since he mastered his mage wings, Callum has never relied on any flying transport even if he was accompanying Rayla. He was so accustomed to it that feeling the gust of the wind on his face without casting the spell felt _weird_.

“Can’t sleep?” Rayla’s voice snapped him from his thoughts. 

She decided to change her Dragonguard’s uniform to her usual Moonshadow assassin suit after they took off, telling him that while the uniform was made to protect the wearer from fatal spells like fire and lightning, its fabric was quite thick and inflexible that it prevented her to execute her swift attacks. Not to mention that it was summer in Katolis and her Dragonguard’s uniform that was made for cold climates would bake her alive.

He shook his head, focusing his gaze towards the horizon. “It’s been a while since I enjoyed the scenery up here as a passenger. Not that I never appreciated these while I’m the one flying.”

“Ah, I think I know what you mean,” she replied, crawling towards him in all fours then nestled her chin on the crook of his shoulder. “It feels odd to be up in the sky with you beside me. Not that I don’t enjoy riding you.”

“Ah yes, you can ride me anytime you want.”

Callum guffawed when she slapped his arm at his innuendo. “You perverted prince!”

“I surrender - ouch! I surrender! I surrender!” he raised his arms for a truce, then stole a quick kiss on her pouty lips.

“Callum!”

“You gave me an opportunity!” he laughed much to her chagrin. “Of course I will grab it!” 

“You’re so lucky you’re cute.” she crossed her arms, feigning an annoyance. “Or I would throw you out here and leave your sorry ass to Xadia.”

Rayla giggled when her boyfriend pressed a kiss on her nose, letting herself to be pulled closer when Callum snaked his arms around her torso, her back against his chest while his head settled on her shoulder. She wasn’t a giggling type or someone with no shame in displaying affection. She was born and raised to be sensible and reserved even in dire situations, but after she met Callum, everything was blown out of proportions.

The couple turned their attention back to the horizon where the sun began to rise.

“I can’t believe Ezran is now eleven, turning twelve next year,” Callum murmured, his gaze was focused on the yellow-orange hues against the indigo sky. “It feels like yesterday we just delivered Zym to his mother and had a celebration in the Storm Spire.”

“Yeah. How time flies.”

He closed his eyes, humming as her four fingers massaged the scalp of his head “Ooh, this feels nice. You really want to make me sleep, huh?”

“Well, I’m a woman with a mission.” Rayla bemused as she continued her ministrations. “I can still hear your thoughts, sad prince. You’re worrying for nothing. Didn’t Zym show you that Ez is alive?”

“Alive but not alright.”

He whined when she stopped.

“Callum.” Rayla shifted her position so she could face him properly. She cupped his face tenderly, her thumbs brushing the dark circles underneath his eyes. It hurts her to see the vulnerability in his emerald eyes. Eyes that can either turn her into a messy goo or a deadly lava that would protect him from any harm. “I know what it feels to have your family put in danger. And while Ez is not my brother, he’s my best friend. And as his best friend, I have to believe in him. He’s the King of Katolis, remember?”

“But history repeats itself, Ray. What if...What if Ez ended up like Dad?”

 _So this must be the reason why he’s still anxious_ , she thought glumly, though a bit relieved that he wasn’t on the verge of a meltdown. He was more like, unsure of the events that were happening around his brother.

She shook her head briskly. “That’s gonna be impossible, Cal. And you know why?”

“Why?” he parroted.

“Because this time,” she flashed him a toothy grin, with fiery eyes looming with menace. “We’re going back to the castle to save the king.”


	4. The Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to divide this into two parts 'coz it was longer than what I've expected

Rayla couldn’t sleep at all.

She told Callum not to worry too much, and that everything will be alright, yet here she was doing the opposite of her advice. 

After the infamous battle in the Storm Spire, the brothers convinced her to live with them in Katolis. She still loves Silvergrove - it's her hometown after all - but it pains her to go back to a community that ghosted her. She didn't want to burden Ethari by reminding him of her betrayal against his husband either. 

However, their trip to the Moon Nexus made her realize that they still have unfinished business to address, which led her and Callum to return to the Storm Spire to learn more.

Even though she was an ordinary Moonshadow elf, it baffled her how everyone in Katolis was so accommodating and treating her like she was part of the Royal household. Yet despite the warm hospitality she received, she couldn't help herself but wonder if they were only doing it for the sake of their king and the crown prince. That _maybe_ they were still harboring resentments knowing that she was one of the assassins that were sent out to kill King Harrow. 

And with the failed assassination attempt that happened to Ezran, she was worried that it might reopen some old wounds.

They just passed the Breach, and the sun was almost above their heads. Rayla was thankful for the fair weather; Rubdilium might be a Storm dragon but she doubted if her arcanum could shield them from the rain. She knows how it sucked to travel with wet clothes, and it was something that she hates to experience again.

Absent-mindedly, she began to run her fingers through Callum’s brown hair. Her cute, dorky mage was snoring lightly on her lap, with arms wrapped possessively around her waist. His lack of sleep these past few days has finally caught up to him. He deserves his beauty rest, but she had no choice but to wake him up before they arrived at their destination.

“Callum. Hey, Callum.” Rayla nudged his shoulder incessantly. “Cal, wake up.”

The prince squeezed his eyes shut with a groan. “Ugh, five more minutes please.”

“There’s no _'five more minutes'_ for you, Sleeping Beauty.” the elf snorted, planting a kiss on the tip of his nose when he grimaced. “You can catch your Z’s later once we arrive at the castle.”

“Are we there yet?”

“I can see the uneven towers here, so we’re almost there.”

Callum sat up, then stretched his limbs with a yawn. Rayla was right - the infamous tower of Katolis was visible on the horizon, and below them was the Katolis river that would lead them to the Banther Lodge.

“Did you sleep well?” he frowned when she shook her head. “Not even a nap? Rayla, what did you say about worrying too much?”

“I know,” she whimpered, leaning her back against his shoulder with a sigh. “But I can’t help it, you know. The first time I went to Katolis, I almost killed you.”

“But that’s because I tricked you that I’m Ezran.”

“That’s the problem, Cal - I was supposed to kill Ezran, your brother. And now that a similar stunt happened again, what if - “

“Rayla,” he interjected, cupping her face gently with both hands so he could meet her gaze. “Did someone - _hey_ , look at me. Did someone ever blame you for the things that happened in the past?”

She took a deep sigh. “No.”

“Did anyone in the castle show you any hostility because of your elven features or assassin status? And don’t you ever say _‘but Callum’_ because, between the two of us, you can quickly spot a lie.”

“No.” she responded with sincerity. “And _ugh_ , I really hate that you’re right, that I’m just overthinking about the old stuff that has been resolved already. I’m a Moonshadow elf, Callum. I was born and raised to view humans as bad. Old habits die hard, you know?”

“And so are humans, Ray.” he chuckled, pressing a kiss on her forehead. “But those people who were involved and knew the truth behind the story will say that you did nothing wrong, that you were just a teen following some adult's orders. Besides, the Katolians hailed you as a hero, remember?”

Rayla immediately covered her flustered face with her palms. “Oh please, don’t remind me of _that_!”

Callum chuckled genially as he hugged his abashed yet adorable elf girlfriend while looking afar. 

He couldn’t forget her facial expressions and reactions when Ezran delivered his first public speech after the war, and told everyone - or more likely to boast - about Rayla and how she abandoned her imposed duties to save them and the Dragon Prince. And that without her help, the Pentarchy and Xadia will never acquire their peace. 

He had to muster all of his strength not to laugh when people approached her afterward with heartfelt thanks for being courageous and loyal to their kingdom. She grew up in a conservative and reclusive environment, so dealing with strangers - much more humans - showing their gratitude boldly in public was too intimidating for her part.

Callum frequently teased her about it just to get a rise out of her.

The mage prince nuzzled her face affectionately. “You know that Katolis will always be your home, right?"

"I know," Rayla propped her head to his shoulder. "I'm just...I’m not too used to receiving so much kindness from other people."

"You deserve all the kindness in the world." he pecked her cheek.

"And so are you."

As soon as Rubdilllium began to fly lower to prepare for their descent, they immediately noticed how the Katoilans looked up at them - some rushed outside their homes - with bewilderment and awe. A group of enthusiastic children tried to outrun them but failed, then cheered them jubilantly when the Storm dragon performed a short somersault in the air. She even used her vanishing tricks to earn more applause from the crowd.

"What a show-off," Callum commented with a snort.

Not everyone in Katolis has seen or experienced the remnants of the war, so a huge dragon like Rubdilllium flying up close for the first time was a sight to behold. And with the increasing number of elves migrating to the human kingdom, her presence was eye candy, to say the least.

The prince patted the base of her scale-covered neck to get her attention. "Can you fly towards that direction - yes, that's the courtyard. I'm sure you can land us there safely."

Rubdilllium made a huff then followed his instruction.

Two Royal Guards were already there waiting for them, holding two flaglets each to signal the dragon where to land. It was unfortunate that Rubdilllium had no idea about the Katolian's flag codes and decided to just land nonchalantly, causing the guards to scramble away in the process.

Callum winced at the sight, making a mental note to apologize to them later.

Once the clouds of dust from their landing settled, the couple began to get down from Rubdilllium's back.

"Long time no see, Crown Prince! And his Lady!" Soren greeted as he approached the two with a bear hug.

Callum rolled his eyes indignantly while Rayla snorted, "You're insufferable, you know that right?"

"I had no choice but to fill in both of your roles while you two were gone." the blond released them with a wistful smile. "I really miss you guys."

"We really miss you too, Soren." the mage prince replied somberly. "Can we see Ez now?"

"Of course!"

Callum took Rayla's hand as they followed him to the infirmary.

"How is he, by the way?" the Moonshadow elf asked, trying her best not to mind the sympathetic eyes that were darted towards their direction.

"He's getting okay, I think. He had several abrasions from the bushes that cushioned him when he fell down from his window, and a large wound at the back but not deep enough to require some blood transfusion. The doctors took care of it, don't worry. They put a cast on his leg for a month or until his bone is completely healed, but he can still move around using a crutch or a wheelchair." The Crownguard clenched his jaw, muttering. "If only I did not go to the Crowlord that night..."

"You did nothing wrong, Soren. Nobody knows what would happen last night." Callum soothed cordially. "Zym was able to show us what Ez saw during the attack. It wasn't... _pretty_."

"Obviously."

Soren continued to recount the events, like how the Royal guards found Ezran's unconscious body and how Bait managed to survive, as the trio turned to another corridor and took a flight of stairs.

"Before I left, he and Bait were on their third batch of jelly tarts." Soren went on. "Until the nurse confiscated it and told them that it will spoil their lunch."

"Sounds like he's getting better," Rayla commented. "How about the culprit? Did you catch them?"

He shook his head. "The patrol guards who were present last night said that nobody has ever approached the room after I left. Even those who witnessed how Ezran fell swore that no one has left his room."

Callum tried not to wince when Ralya gripped his hand tighter.

They stopped in front of a large mahogany door at the end of the hallway. "So...here we are. Let me call the nurse first before we barge in - "

The door swung open just before he could finish his sentence, revealing an elderly man in a white overcoat and thick-rimmed glasses. Behind him stood a female in a white dress and a head cap. Recognition immediately dawned on them when they saw the faces of the newly arrived visitors.

"Prince Callum. Lady Rayla", the man said with a bow. "I'm Doctor Levi, the attending physician of King Ezran, and this is my assistant, Nurse Margareth."

The nurse bowed similarly.

"I would like to thank you both for taking care of my brother," said Callum with a sincere smile. "And it warms me to know that he's currently in good hands."

"It's my pleasure to serve the Royal family," the doctor bowed again. "The King has just received his prescribed medications and currently available to accept visitors, so we are now completely at your disposal."

"I really appreciate it, Doctor Levi. If you will excuse us, we would like to see my brother in private."

"Of course, Your Majesty. There's a bell near the King's bed that you can ring in case you will require our assistance."

"Thanks for the concern."

The two bowed again and left.

"I think I also need to make an exit, Your Majesty." Soren made an exaggerated dip much to Callum's annoyance. "For it is my sole duty as the head of the Crownguards to finish all of my tasks on time."

The blond guffawed when the mage prince shoved him hard, then jogged away.

Rayla let out a low whistle once they entered the room, closing the door behind them. "I didn't expect you to be this eloquent, _Prince Callum_."

He shrugged. "Well, years of being forced to study social etiquette and diplomacy has transformed me to say those kinds of words instinctively, _Lady Rayla_ ," 

He smirked when she flashed him a beady glare. "You know how I loathe being called by that name. Why does everyone insist on calling me a _Lady_?"

"Would you prefer them to call you a _Princess_ instead?" his smirk grew when her blush reached the tip of her ears. "Not that I mind but - "

"Can’t you two at least spare me from your gross moments while paying a visit?" a familiar yet exasperated voice behind them interjected. “I don’t want to throw up all the jelly tarts that I ate today.”

“But Ez, we’re just…”

Any rebuttals were lost when the pair saw the young king on his bed, forcing an awkward wave. "Long time no see, Callum, Rayla."

Ezran might be alive, but he looked like he had dealt something worse than death.

His loose white garment failed to cover the bandages that were wrapped around his petite body. His left cheek was a bit swollen, and his left leg was on a cast and suspended with straps tied up to the ceiling. Half of his body was covered in a thick blanket, and the two were not sure if the injuries there were as awful as the other wounds.

" _Oh, Ez_..." Callum rushed to his side, cupping his face gently before he embraced him. "Ez, I'm so sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about, Cal." Ezran fought an urge to cry when he felt his brother shuddered, and almost lost his composure when Rayla held one of his hands with a choked sob.

"I'm sorry that we're not here to protect you." the elf sniffed, letting her tears fall to the sheets. "Even though... even though we promised ourselves to be there when you need us the most."

"I thought we were late," the mage prince released him with reddish eyes, sliding his hands to hold his arms. "When Rayla told me about Zym's projections, I thought - we thought - we were late. I don't want to lose you."

"You never lose me."

"I don't want to lose you like how I lost Dad."

Ezran wasn't sure if it was the pair's comforting presence or the dawning realization that he almost died hours ago that made his dam break.

He slumped his forehead to his brother's shoulder, weeping "I - I was scared, Cal. I thought...I thought I’m going to die.”

“ _Ez…_ ”

“A - and then I realized h - how a King must not show any - any weaknesses. Be - because a weak King m - means a weak nation, right?”

“No, you’re wrong, Ez.” Rayla shook her head, squeezing his hand tenderly. “A King must acknowledge their weaknesses to create a strong nation. And it’s normal to be afraid of death, Ez. Look at me - I’m a Moonshadow assassin who was trained to believe that death is inevitable. Yet here I am scared to die. And you know why?”

“Because you don’t want to make Callum sad?”

“Partly that,” she chuckled when Callum held her free hand, interlacing his fingers to hers. “But mainly because I have so many things that I wanted to do to my family. You, Callum, Zym, Ethari - even Bait who’s sleeping in his basin.”

The glow toad made a croak to disagree.

“He said he can hear you.” Ezran snickered, wiping his tears with the back of his hand. “Thanks, Rayla. You’re the best.”

“Hey, what about me?” Callum pouted, which earned a laugh from the two.

.

.

.

Once the emotions in the room dwindled to normal, Rayla stood up to fetch their glasses of water while the brothers began to discuss some stuff that they missed out.

Callum slid his chair closer to the bed. “How’s your feeling, Ez? No stinging sensation or urges to vomit?”

“I think I vomited once or twice last night? They said that it was due to the concussion, but my headache is completely gone this morning. I still have some stinging sensation on my back, and my shoulder hurts when I rotate them. My legs,” Ezran eyed his cast. “I can’t feel anything on my left, so I’m not sure if it’s the cast or the spell that they applied. But my right leg is okay. See, I can wiggle my toes just fine.”

“Has there been - oh, thanks Ray - has there been any investigations about the culprit?”

“Would you like me to help you with your drink, Ez?” Rayla asked when she passed him his water glass.

“No, my hands are stable to hold anything. Thanks, Rayla.” he took a few sips then placed his glass on his bedside table. “Corvus and his team have been trying to find my attacker’s tracks, while Soren handles the interrogations within the Royal household and double-checks their alibis.”

“And?”

He cast a solemn look “They both agreed that it’s an insider’s job.”

“And you believed them?” The Moonshadow pulled her own chair and sat beside Callum.

“I have no solid evidence to prove that they were wrong.”

Rayla hummed in contemplation.

“What if it’s one of Viren’s ploys?” Callum suggested. “Like what Rayla has mentioned before, we never found Viren’s body. Plus, that man tried to steal the throne. He has all the means and the motives to kill you.”

“But Viren doesn’t work that way. He prefers to announce his presence than to hide like this. Remember how he killed Queen Khessa?” Rayla crossed her arms, pondering. “If I’m going to put myself in Viren’s boots, would it be easier if I use a Dark Magic to kill Ez than to infiltrate his room and kill him with a dagger?”

“I’m sure Zym showed you what I’ve seen last night.” the young King muttered dejectedly. “I didn’t see my attacker’s face, and Bait said that he only saw the silhouette of a man but his cloak covered all of his features. Everything happened so fast.”

Callum reached out for his hand. “It’s okay, Ez. Those clues are still important to track him down. You just have to be more careful since your attacker is still at large. He might have failed his mission once, that doesn’t mean he’ll not try it again.”

“Soren said that you can move around with a crutch or a wheelchair,” said Rayla.

Ezran nodded. “Yeah, the doctor told me that I can use a crutch or a wheelchair as long as I won’t push myself too much. Which means I can still oversee the preparations for the harvest festival.”

“Why don’t you leave those things to Opeli and your council instead?” his brother suggested. “I can handle some of those important tasks on your behalf. After all, I’m the crown prince, and I have _Lady Rayla_ here,” he emphasized, earning him a sharp jab on his side. “ _Ouch_ \- who can help me with the elven affairs.”

Ezran scrunched his brows, “But you two are on vacation, right?”

The couple eyed each other briefly before Callum answered, “Actually, Rayla and I decided that we are going to stay in Katolis until we are sure that you’re completely out of danger.”

The young King’s jaw slacked, staring at them with disbelief. Then Callum continued, “Queen Zubeia gave us an indefinite leave, and assured us that we can resume our training and apprenticeship anytime that we want.”

“And as a Dragonguard,” Rayla interjected with a grin. “I was ordered to serve you as your bodyguard.”

“You two are not joking, right?” Ezran’s lips quivered when the two nodded. “Can we have a group hug? I really miss you guys.”

They obliged him with glee.

.

.

.

Callum and Rayla had their late lunch while accompanying Ezran, and remained in his room until he dozed off.

“He’s too young to handle such responsibilities,” Callum muttered as they left the premise, making a gesture at the assigned Crownguards who were guarding outside the room.

“Look who’s the pot calling the kettle black,” Rayla snorted, holding his hand with a gentle squeeze. “You’re only fifteen yet you’ve managed to unite Xadia that no one has ever done for the last hundreds of years. Not to mention that you’re the first human who forged a connection with an arcanum without a Primal source.”

“But I never did those without your help.”

“I’m just a supporter, not the doer.” she flicked his nose. “Don’t give me that pout, you silly Prince. You know that I’m right.”

The pair finally reached the western part of the castle and stopped in front of the King’s suite. It was originally a guest room for diplomats until Ezran remodeled and claimed it as his own. Callum understood that occupying the original King’s suite where their father was murdered would be grim even for his brother.

Two royal guards who were standing in the hallway immediately unfolded their spears, giving way to the pair to access the suite.

“Has anyone entered this room after the attack?” Callum asked.

“Only Corvus and the chambermaids, Your Majesty.” one of the guards answered promptly.

“That’s good to know. Kindly guard the room outside and make sure that no one disturbs us, okay?”

They clicked their boots in unison. “Yes, Your Majesty!”

Ezran’s room was not so different from what Callum had seen back when they were sharing a space, except that his usual study table was a lot bigger and his books were thicker and more advanced for his age. He could see the courtyard clearly from the windows, as well as the Royal kitchen’s chimney. And knowing his brother’s antics, he probably chose this room as his suite to monitor when they will bake his jelly tarts.

“I don’t see any access outside his windows,” Rayla said as she inspected the castle walls. “No trees that they can climb, or another window that can be accessed to jump over here. And this room is in an open area so if someone will try to infiltrate here, they have to use a rope, a ladder, or any tool that they can use to scale the walls - but that also means they can be seen by anyone even before they can enter inside.”

“So that means we’re left with one option, huh?”, the prince murmured, toying something inside his pocket.

“Callum,” she walked towards him with a fond smile. “I gave you that moon opal pendant as a gift because I know you will have to use it sometime in the future - and that future is _now_.”

“B - but this is your first-anniversary gift!” he sputtered. “And you said that this represents your heart, so why am I going to crush your heart?”

“You’re going to crush my heart if you refused to reveal who the hell tried to murder Ez,” she deadpanned. “And don’t act like this is your first time breaking my moon opal.”

“The necklace that you gave me in the Storm Spire was technically from Ethari.”

“Does that mean you don’t have any problems crushing my Father’s heart?”

He waved his hand awkwardly “W-Well, I di-didn’t say that - “

“Will you just stop being a sentimental boyfriend and do what you’re supposed to do?” she chided, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You better crush that moon opal and use the spell, or I’m going to crush that myself.”

“Okay, okay!” He pulled the moon opal pendant that was encased in a silver with moon and feather designs, then crushed it with his hand as he drew a rune “ _Historia viventem_!”


	5. The Culprit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. Our company made us do WFH _again_ until next week, plus I celebrated my birthday three days ago. 
> 
> I'll try my best to update this weekly.

Replaying a memory that Callum first saw from the eyes of his brother as a third perspective was _weird_ , to put it mildly. And while he knew what would happen next - and _boy_ , was it very traumatic - he had no other options but to witness it again. He might have an eidetic memory, but Ezran barely saw anything that could lead them to their culprit.

_"Come in."_

_"Ez? It's past your bedtime. Opeli might kill us both if you're going to be late in your weekly council's meeting again."_

_"Yeah, yeah. I know..."_

Triggering the _Historia Viventem_ spell would not only show them the realistic illusion of the crime scene, but it would also unveil the parts that were hidden by magic, if there was magic involved. It may seem far-fetched, but Callum didn't want to exclude Viren as a possible suspect. 

He hoped that his treasured moon opal was worth its sacrifice, that its energy was enough to sustain the illusion until it revealed the culprit’s facial image. 

His forest green eyes were glued completely to the window where the attack occurred. He assumed that the killer entered the room when his brother approached the door to pass the letter to Soren, but he couldn't deny the possibility that the killer was already inside, waiting for the perfect moment to execute his attack.

When a four-fingered hand suddenly appeared and pushed the glass window open, the pair immediately knew that they were dealing with something far _worse_ than they had expected.

Rayla’s heart momentarily stopped when the hooded person entered the room like a trained assassin, and felt her blood run cold at the sight of a familiar binding around his left wrist. 

It was the same binding that she wore years ago back when she was assigned to kill Ezran.

She couldn’t tear her infuriated gaze from the culprit’s face as she slammed her fist to the wall, growling “He’s a _Moonshadow elf!_ ”

Callum felt numb as he froze on his spot. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. _How in the world did a Moonshadow assassin end up in his brother’s room? And who the hell sent him out to kill him?_

“H-how come he - “ the mage prince sputtered when Ezran’s illusion approached the window, unaware that the culprit had been standing there all along. _Was he invisible?_ “B - but it’s a waxing crescent last night, so why - “

“Only the elite Moonshadow assassins can use invisibility even if less than a full moon,” Rayla answered, shutting her eyes closed when the culprit raised his silver blade above Ezran’s head. She had seen enough.

His knees buckled as the illusion dissipated, making him sit to the ground with a shudder. Several emotions were brewing inside him - anger, frustration, and confusion - and it was so overwhelming enough for him to forget how he should react to it. 

The revelation spell that he cast gave him more questions than answers.

A loud thump nearby snapped him back to reality. He glanced at the source of the sound and saw his girlfriend pressing her forehead against the wall, cradling her balled fist with red gashes on the knuckles.

The prince immediately stood up and walked towards her. “Rayla?“

“I don’t know who in Garlath’s name that _shitbag_ is!” she spat hotly, then flinched when she felt his hands on her shoulder. She let him turn her around and faced him with her lilac eyes brimmed with tears. “And why a _Moonshadow_ , of all the _scunning_ elves, would attack Ez!”

“Do you think he’s from the Silvergrove?”

She shook her head briskly, her tears were flying everywhere. “I don’t know... and I don’t want to know…”

“I’m sure he’s not working under the authority of the Dragon Queen.” he murmured, cupping her face gently so he could brush her tears away with his thumbs. He was a bit surprised how clear-headed he was despite the revelations, and how Rayla, who was usually the sensible in their relationship, was on the verge of a meltdown.

Maybe his shock hasn’t sunk in yet.

“There’s no way Queen Zubeia would send us both here just to foil her plans.”

“A mercenary, perhaps?”

“Possibly. What are you doing?” she asked when Callum stepped away to rummage Ezran’s desk drawers.

“Looking for something to fix your hand. Here.” he led her to sit on the four-poster bed, uncapping a tube of ointment then dabbed it to her bruise gingerly. “We can’t have it get infected.”

“It’s fine,” she replied with a wince when he covered her sore knuckles with an adhesive gauze pad. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” he kissed the palm of her injured hand, which earned him a blush. “Are you okay now?”

Rayla let out a watery laugh. “Is this going to be a Big Feelings Time?”

“Of course.”

“Honestly? No,” she confessed with a sniffle, wiping her tears with the back of her uninjured hand. “It was my kind who wanted to hurt Ez.”

“You’re not responsible for his action,” he told her evenly.

“I know,” she averted her gaze towards her lap where their hands were intertwined. “But I can’t help myself but feel guilty.”

“Nobody will accuse you, Ray. Not even Ez,” he soothed, pulling her closer. “You were innocent just like me.”

“What if there's a reason behind why a Moonshadow elf was sent out to kill Ez?”

Callum had thought of that too. “If they wanted to pin you down on this attack, then they were doing a very sloppy job. They should have planned this after we arrived for the harvest festival.”

"Unless they don't know our itinerary."

"Unless..." he trailed off, remembering the upcoming annual celebration. _Unless it was something else._

“He has an assassin’s binding, Cal. He wasn't doing it for himself.” Rayla pointed out. “If he made the oath last night, then that means he has a maximum of two weeks to finish his mission - which happened to be the Night of the Harvest Moon.”

Callum opened his sketchbook and began to draw their elven culprit. He was six feet tall with a lean build, and probably around Ethari’s age. His long dark hood was able to cover his horns but not his pointed ears. He has a typical Moonshadow elf hair color based on the side bangs that framed his square-jawed face, but he wasn’t sure of its length. His skin was a bit tanned, with three claw marked tattoos across the bridge of his nose painted in dark blue, which happened to be the same shade as his eyes.

His weapon was a single broad, slightly curved sword with a cutting edge on the convex side. It reminded him of a machete but with a copper guard and a leather-covered hilt. There were no intricate carvings on the blade that he usually found on Moonshadow elf weapons in Silvergrove, but then he hasn’t seen any Moonshadow elf weapons that were forged by other elven smiths aside from Ethari.

“Wait.”

His hand stopped when Rayla pressed herself closer to his side, his charcoal pencil hovering above his drawn paper. 

“He was not wearing any Moonshadow garment,” she tapped his unfinished sketch detail of the culprit’s upper clothing with her finger without smudging the lines.

“So what? You’ve worn Katolian clothes before.”

“Well yeah, but I don’t wear them when I’m on a mission,” she responded dryly. “Xadian clothes are more durable, light-weight, with no fabric noises when you rubbed or stretched them compared to any human-made clothes - no offense to the Pentarchy.”

“None taken.” His brows furrowed as he stared at his unfinished sketch. “You said that only the elite Moonshadow assassins can use invisibility even if less than a full moon. If that was the case, then he should know the protocol, right?”

“Not all elves are traditional. You know that.”

“But he’s an elite assassin. You’re not.”

“Or a very strong Moonshadow elf who has a higher affinity to the moon.”

His brow perked up. “Like a mage?”

“If you were Lujanne, would you climb a three-story tower and struck your target with a regular sword instead of using a spell?”

“Maybe he’s a dumb version of Lujanne?”

Callum shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly when she gave him a narrow look.

“So basically, our culprit is a very strong Moonshadow yet a non-traditional assassin, who has a deadline until the Harvest Moon festival to kill my brother or his binding will cut his wrist off,” he muttered as he finished his drawing. “Now the question is, is he working for someone in Xadia or one of the Pentarchy?”

Rayla hummed in contemplation as she stared outside the windows. It was almost sundown.

“It’s okay if you don't want to come with me when I talk to Ez about our discovery.”

She shook her head with a sigh, then stared at his green orbs filled with fear and concern. “I hate that I’m feeling guilty about something that I’m not involved with, but I don’t want to make everyone assume that all Moonshadow elves are like him. We made an oath to serve the Dragon Queen and to stand for her desire for unity and peace. What he did to Ez was a crime against Xadia. He’s a disgrace to our kind. An abomination.”

He reached out for her uninjured hand and squeezed it affectionately. "I want you to know that I love you and I'm always here for you, okay?"

"I know, and I love you too.” Rayla pecked his lips with a smile. “That's why you need to wipe that mopey face out and stop worrying about me. I’m a big girl. I can face anything.”

 _But not everything_ , he wanted to add but decided not to instead.

“We have to inform Queen Zubeia about this.” he shut his sketchbook closed then stood up. “Once I made several copies of this sketch, we can send one to the Silvergrove. Maybe Ethari or someone there can give us more clues that could lead us to our culprit.”

“But what if Corvus and Soren were right?” she asked as she followed him. “What if this was an inside job?”

The mage prince flashed her menacing grin. “Then we have no choice but to lure them out.”


	6. Means and Motives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum clapped his hand. "Okay, that's enough with these depressing stories. Let's go back to our culprit's means."
> 
> "We have a mastermind theory where our Moonshadow culprit was hired by coincidence or by force, which explains why he has an assassin’s binding on his wrist. Then we have another theory where our Moonshadow culprit was doing it all by himself, like some sort of a personal vendetta against Ez - which doesn’t make any sense unless there was a misunderstanding on his part.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be some **Book 1: Moon** novelization and **Through the Moon** references mentioned in this chapter. Nothing too spoiler-y.
> 
> I also bought a digital copy of **The Art of The Dragon Prince** (and still drooling about it) so if I failed to update this chapter next week, that means I spent most of my free time drawing the gang

"So, a Moonshadow assassin huh?" Ezran muttered despondently after his brother finished his explanation.

They were having a closed-door meeting in his room together with Corvus, Soren, and Opeli. Callum and Rayla agreed to let the three be included in their plans since they were trustworthy enough to keep it as a secret and powerful enough to take some damage control in case there will be a public outcry.

"Do you think this person is from the Silvergrove?"

The mage prince looked at his elven girlfriend briefly before he answered Corvus' question. "Rayla wasn't sure if he's from Silvergrove or not, that's why we're going to send Ethari a copy of our culprit's sketch to see if he can provide us more clues."

"How about other Moonshadow elves' territories? I'm sure the Silvergrove is not the only Moonshadow village in Xadia."

"We don't have any connections with other Moonshadow communities like what we have with Silvergrove," he responded promptly. "And if we inform Queen Zubeia about this, she can disseminate it to other elven territories faster than doing it our own way - which involves tons of paperwork and diplomatic meetups. I don't think Ez will be happy to do those mundane things."

"I don't." was his brother's stern reply.

"I fear that this assassination attempt might cause some rift between humans and elves again." Opeli pinched the bridge of her nose with a deep sigh. "We've managed to unite Xadia and the Pentarchy after we returned the Dragon Prince to his mother, and while we have a peace treaty now, that doesn't mean everyone agrees with it. You can't simply erase prejudices that have been transferred for generations in just a matter of two years."

"But hiding the truth from the public will do us no good," Ezran folded his hands to his lap. "Sooner or later the truth will come out, and I don't want everyone to assume that I'm giving Rayla a preferential treatment by hiding the culprit's race."

"But why a Moonshadow of all elven races?"

"Maybe it's just a coincidence," Callum shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm guessing that someone paid a mercenary to do the job - and who do you think is the best person to hire other than a Moonshadow assassin?"

"What do you think about this, Rayla?"

" _We take a life, but we don’t take it lightly_ ," the elf answered as she recited the mantra that she learned from Runaan. "Aside from our stealth, we do not take someone's life for nothing. We kill for honor. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

"But I never killed anyone." the young King scowled as if offended.

"Maybe…" Soren rubbed the bottom of his chin with contemplation. "Maybe this Moonshadow guy was being threatened? You know, like being blackmailed or something?"

All eyes in the room bored into Rayla as she hummed at his implication. "That doesn’t sound impossible. I mean, I am willing to bind myself to kill anyone in exchange for Callum's life."

She smiled when a familiar hand reached out to her with a gentle squeeze. "A Moonshadow assassin does not take a life lightly. But if taking an innocent life can save the lives of people you care for, then so be it."

"And then you use one of your limbs as collateral." 

"Aye."

The Crownguard grimaced with disgust. "Moonshadow culture is not only morbid, but it also follows a twisted logic."

"Hate to admit it but it is," she chuckled lightly. "That's why my village ghosted me."

Callum clapped his hand. "Okay, that's enough with these depressing stories. Let's go back to our culprit's means."

"We have a mastermind theory where our Moonshadow culprit was hired by _coincidence_ or by _force_ , which explains why he has an assassin’s binding on his wrist. Then we have another theory where our Moonshadow culprit was doing it all by himself, like some sort of a personal vendetta against Ez - which doesn’t make any sense unless there was a misunderstanding on his part.”

“We have yet to establish if our Moonshadow culprit is working alone or with a team.” Corvus pointed out.

“Oh yeah, he’s definitely working alone,” The elf countered with a smirk. “If not, then his teammate should have finished Ez when he fell to the ground. Which tells me that our culprit knows how the people work in this castle.”

“Does that mean we have a spy in the royal household?”

“Or the mastermind is one of the royal households,” she added, then glanced at the young king. “Hey Ez, how many people in this castle, including your council, have expressed their dislikes towards you these past few days?"

He tapped his chin with his index as if pondering. “Well, Barius doesn’t like me or Bait to steal his baked jelly tarts before he served them, but I don’t think he would kill us just for that. Other than him...hmmm…”

“Council members Teophel, Waylon and Everleigh,” Opeli supplied. “They’re the ones who have verbally shown their displeasure with King Ezran’s policies recently.”

“Waylon? Really, Ez?” Callum jerked his brow with a grimace. “That old man who did nothing but complain about the dragons?”

“He’s about to retire this year, Callum. Don’t worry,” his brother retorted with a shrug. “Teophel has concerns about our ongoing peace talks with the Earthblood region since they insist that Katolis and Duren must issue public apologies on the Magma Titan’s fiasco years ago, while Everleigh refused my proposal to include elves as candidates for councilors.”

“We have to keep an eye on them, but not obvious enough to raise some flags,” Rayla proposed. “And since I was sent out by Queen Zubeia as her representative, I can go around and check with elven communities here and see if I can get some leads about our culprit. Anybody can assume that I’m simply doing my job as a Xadian ambassador.”

“I can go with you.”

She shook her head at her boyfriend’s suggestion. “It’s better if you stick around with Ez and do your princely affairs. Our culprit is not just a regular Moonshadow assassin, and we don’t know if he can use illusion or invisibility even in the daylight or not. Garlath knows if he’s a dumb version of Lujanne, and if he is, then you’re the best person that can beat him.”

Callum hated to admit it but she was right.

“Why me?” Ezran wondered out loud. “Why would someone want to kill me?”

“Permission to express my honest opinion, Your Highness?” He nodded at Opeli to continue. “You may not be aware of this, but you’ve been considered by many as the most powerful and influential person in the entire continent.”

“You have a special bond with the Dragon Prince. You have commanded not only the army of Katolis but also a flight of dragons _all by yourself_ in a battle. The Queen of the Dragons respected you, and the elves bowed down before you. Not to mention that you have a brother who happened to be the first human to connect to an arcanum. You have accomplished great things at a young age that even your father, King Harrow, failed to achieve in his lifetime."

"These connections might not be a big deal for you," she went on. "But for others, it’s already something. You’re a symbol of unity and peace, but for them, your existence is a threat.”

Ezran breathed out heavily with downcast eyes. “I’m still confused about why some people would prefer war over peace.”

“Because they can gain more by selling weapons, medical supplies, or even offer services like espionage and assassination.” the cleric explained glumly. “Anyway, these are just some of the reasons why your life could be in danger, aside from jealousy being the King of Katolis.”

.

.

.

After they finished their dinner, Callum went to the courtyard to seek out Rubdillium.

It wasn't a problem for him to track down a hidden storm dragon since they both share the same arcanum, but Rubdillium made it easier for him by dropping her camouflage at his approach. Unfortunately, her action caused a bit of commotion when the night guards, who weren't briefed about her presence before their shifts, gasped in horror.

“It’s alright everyone!” the mage prince placated as he flailed his arms in the air. “She’s harmless!”

Rubdillium puffed air from her nostrils as if insulted by his words.

"I have a message that you need to relay to Queen Zubeia, and another to Ethari from the Silvergrove," Callum muttered as he passed her two scrolls stamped with his royal seal - a blue wax with two overlapping diamonds above the uneven towers of Katolis, and wing runes on the sides. "Make sure nobody knows about this unless the Queen said otherwise."

The dragon plucked the rolled parchments from his hand with her claws then clenched it with her left front paw. He could have sent those using a shadowhawk but he was worried that someone might intercept it just like what Nyx did to Ethari's message to the Queen before.

But if Rubdillium carries the letters, they will have no choice but to defeat the storm dragon first before they could steal it, which is obviously not an easy feat even for a Moonshadow assassin.

"Thank you for giving us a ride, Rubdillium," he grinned, distancing himself to give her a room to spread her broad wings. "And hope that you'll have a safe journey."

She huffed as an acknowledgment then beat her wings twice as she took off, leaving a cloud of dust on its wake.

Callum stared at the dark sky, looking at the spot where the dragon vanished like a twinkling star before he averted his gaze towards the crescent moon.

Tonight would be the first night after Ezran's failed assassination.

His jaw clenched at the thought that this could've been the first night of mourning if his brother didn't survive the fall.

Shoving his dark thoughts in the back burner, the mage prince went back to the room that he shared with Rayla.

Opeli was against their sleeping arrangements at first believing two unwed teens living in close quarters might cause a scandal, but after the pair explained their panic attacks and recurring nightmares from war trauma, she decided to assign them a joint bedroom with two separate beds so that the two can still look out for each other while avoiding physical intimacy.

Of course, the two broke those rules.

After all, what happened inside the bedroom stays in the bedroom.

"I thought you were tired," said Callum as he saw the elf sitting near the window, her head resting between her folded arms on the sill.

She was wearing his long-sleeved orange tunic and pale trousers, a pair of outgrown clothes that he owned back when he was thirteen. Despite her own set of a wardrobe full of Katolian and Moonshadow clothes that were made for her liking, she still preferred to wear his old garments that were supposed to be disposed of and recycled for better use.

_"These are comfier than mine,"_ she told him once. _"And I love to wear your smell."_

He wasn't sure if she was doing it just to tease him or she wanted to brand him as her own.

Little did she know that everyone in Katolis assumed the other way around.

_As if I'm going to tell her,_ he thought with a smirk, only to feign it with a cough when she popped her head up and gave him a questioned look.

"Are you okay?

"I-I'm fine. How about you?" he asked. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"I was thinking about Ez," she answered, turning her gaze back to the moon. "And the Moonshadow assassin's next attack."

Callum began to undress, leaving him in his brown trousers as he entered the washroom. "Do you think he'll make an attempt tonight?"

"I'm not sure...but he's on a time limit. The longer he waits, the tighter the binding will become. I know firsthand how hellish it was on the third day. Pain and numbness will give you sleepless nights. He'll be lucky if he can still grip his sword before the end of the week."

"Why don't we stall him instead?" his voice was almost drowned by the sound of the running water. "Make sure that he'll never get Ez alone within two weeks. He's at his disadvantage already, with that prolonged wrist pain while trying to finish his job under time pressure."

"He might have lost his dominant hand but at what cost? Our two weeks' worth of anxiety and lack of sleep?" the elf scoffed indignantly. "No thanks."

"So...what do you suggest?"

"Well, I have an idea," Rayla glanced at her boyfriend who just exited their washroom in fresh pajamas and a damp towel draped on his shoulder. "But Ez might not like it."

.

.

.

"I don't like it."

"C'mon Ez, it's for the old times' sake!" Callum responded cheerfully as he pushed one of the spare cots against Ezran's left. "You, me, Rayla, and Bait traveling to Xadia with Zym as an egg. But instead of sleeping outside, we're sleeping _inside_!"

"In the infirmary, you mean." he deadpanned.

"It's gonna be like what you humans call a _'sleepover'_ ," the elf grinned toothily, settling beside the young king's right side after she pulled her own cot. "We can have some jelly tarts in bed, share gossips, paint our nails - "

"Ooh, I _love_ painting," the mage prince interjected.

"- braid our hairs, and pillow fights!"

" _Seriously_?" Ezran's brow jerked up, his hands gesticulating at his frail condition. "Guys, can't you see I have injuries here?" 

If he wasn't wired by his nightly dose of pain medicine, he probably went over the moon at his best friend's suggestions. He loved engaging in pillow fights, but not at _that_ moment.

"Well _duh_ , obviously pillow fights are out," Rayla rolled her eyes indignantly. "As well as other sleepover traditions - sorry Callum, no painting this time. But we're going to compromise by guarding you to sleep instead."

"That's why I doubled my guards, Rayla."

"But they're guarding you _outside_ your room." she retorted. "Not _inside_ your room."

"We'll be your personal bodyguards and cuddle buddies for two weeks or until we capture our culprit. Two birds in one stone," Callum plopped on his side with a grin. "So, what do you think Ez?"

Ezran shook his head with a resigned sigh.

He assumed that the reason behind why the two dropped by in his room _in the middle of the night_ was to see him sleeping.

Not to sleep beside him.

He was elated at first until he realized how their flirty banters were giving him second-hand embarrassment.

He'd rather choose two pinning idiots who insist they were just friends as his sleeping buddies than two idiots in a relationship.

"No funny business, okay?" the young king muttered as he adjusted his blanket. "And no sandwiches."

"Sandwiches?"

"Uhm…" Callum trailed off as he remembered Rayla's limited knowledge about Katolian's euphemisms. "You know that kind of food where you put something in between slices of bread?"

She scrunched her nose in disbelief. "Ugh, you humans and your obsessions with bread."

The mage prince flashed a beady glare when his brother snorted, "You two are insufferable." 

"Shut up, Ez," the elf countered with a smug. "You love us anyway."

_I do,_ the young king thought, closing his eyes with a wistful smile. "You have no idea the miseries that Bait and I had gone through during our journey to Xadia. All the nonsense bickering and endless complaints, right Bait?"

The glow toad who was nestling on the bassinet nearby croaked to agree.

"You even mocked us by calling us an old married couple." his brother chuckled with endearment laced in his voice.

"And you get back to me by throwing snow on my back," Ezran quipped. "Especially when I picked on you after I saw you sketching Rayla - "

"Wait, _what?_ " the elf sat up, hovering above the boys as she gauged their expressions under the candlelight. "What sketch are we talking about?"

Ezran peered at his brother who was burrowing himself under his own blanket. "Really, Callum? You never told your girlfriend for almost two years about your secret drawings?"

"D-drawings?"

Callum was mumbling something incoherent, but the elf was able to pick up everything. "Don't tell me all those times I caught you on guard… _wait a minute_ , you've been sketching me before we went to the Banther Lodge?"

"I always draw when I want to clear my head!" the mage reasoned out with a whine.

"And you've been on his head all those times," the young king winked at Rayla who flushed in an instant.

" _Ez_ ! That was supposed to be _our secret_!"

"Oh yeah?" the elf sassed as she reclined on her side with a propped up elbow, her hand supporting her head. "I thought we're not supposed to hide anything in our relationship?"

He wanted to facepalm himself as the two laughed at his embarrassment. "If only I knew that this sleeping arrangement will make you two make fun of my agony, I should've stayed in my room in peace."

"C'mon, Callum. Don't be a spoilsport," his brother snickered as he poked his side with his elbow. "You love us anyway."

.

.

.

Unbeknownst to the trio, a shadow figure was observing their exchanges from afar, his wrist binding glinted under the moonlight. 

He wasn't informed that the king's brother had arrived today, and with his Moonshadow companion in tow, their presence would complicate everything.

They have to change their plans.

_He_ may not like it but what can _he_ do about it? Torture him? Kill him? Chop him to pieces and sell his parts to the public?

He was nothing to _him_ anyway.

" _A Moonshadow does not take a life lightly_ ," he muttered under his breath as he turned his back away from the scene and headed back to his safe house.


	7. The Prince Regent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You know that I love you, right?” the mage prince chuckled, ruffling the boy’s bedhead more much to his displeasure. “And as your older brother, I have a duty to protect you. Besides, I promised Dad that I’m going to be your partner, your defender, and your closest adviser...even though I suck at those.”
> 
> Ezran shook his head with a smile, “I prefer the way we are right now, Callum.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay!
> 
> August was a hectic month for me. Plus the early release of TTM _smashed_ me to pieces. I mean, I was low-key expecting that they would go _that way_ but not in the book! Maybe around S4 or S6...but oh well.
> 
> I'm still waiting for my copy to arrive next month T_T

Rayla is a light sleeper and has always been the first to wake up back when she was traveling with the boys to Xadia. So it wasn’t a surprise for her to see them sprawling and cuddling at each other like magnets.

Nostalgia hit her as she watched them snoring lightly, their breathing patterns were almost attuned to each other, with sleep crusties on their eyes and dried drools marring on their respective cheeks. The elf felt humbled to witness how relaxed they were in her presence, but at the same time, it bothered her how vulnerable they were in their sleep. She remembered telling them numerous times not to lower their guard even if she was around, but the boys’ lax attitudes were giving her nothing but a headache.

Shaking her head with bemusement, she got up to fix her cot and beddings before she walked around Ezran’s bed to reach her sleeping boyfriend.

“Hey, Callum. _Callum_ , wake up,” she nudged his shoulder incessantly until she heard a disgruntled moan. “Rise and shine, your Majesty.”

His bleary green eyes met her lilac ones, then yawned. “What time is it?”

“It’s time for you to beat some old bald guys with bureaucracy.” she chirped much to his annoyance.

“It’s too early to mock me, Rayla.” he groaned, stretching his limbs languidly for a delicious pop.

His movement made him realize that his brother’s arms were snaking around his torso, his head burrowed on his chest. It should’ve been an impossible feat since Ezran’s cast leg was strapped remotely to the ceiling, but the mage prince somehow invaded half of his brother’s space in the middle of the night which ended them both snuggling at each other to sleep.

Callum couldn’t help but smile sweetly as he brushed his brother’s unruly hair with his callous hands, his action didn't rouse the young king a bit.

“I’m trapped,” his hoarse voice was laced with endearment.

The elf shook her head then planted a kiss on his cheek, just a shy away from his upturned mouth. "See you in the dining hall."

"Hmmhm."

Callum took a deep sigh as his girlfriend exited the room, then glanced at his brother's side where she slept last night. Her cot has been stowed away neatly, as well as her pillows and blankets. 

Which prompted him to do the same thing.

Ezran stirred when he felt someone prying his arms away from a very comfy pillow. "Callum?"

"Good morning, Ez," his brother greeted drowsily.

"You're leaving?" he asked, then squirmed when Callum removed his sleep crusties with his damp thumb. "We - Where's Rayla?"

"She left a few minutes ago." was his answer. "Did you sleep well?"

The boy nodded with a stifled yawn. "Best sleep I've ever had since yesterday."

“That’s good,” the mage prince got up and began to fix his beddings. “I hope you remembered Doctor Levi’s advice to be a good patient today so he can clear you and Bait to return to your room before the end of the day.”

“I’ve been a good patient since the beginning.”

Callum hummed as he fluffed a pillow he stole from Ezran last night. “Are you sure? Because he told us otherwise.”

He chuckled at his younger brother’s disgruntled rumblings, who eventually averted the topic by asking “Did Corvus bring it already?”

“Bring what?”

“You know, the wheelchair?”

“Ah. That. Nope, not yet. Depends on how long it will take them to assemble it. Don’t get too excited or Opeli might force you to bed rest until your leg is fully healed.” 

“I won’t,” the boy promised as he chewed his lower lip. “Erm, Callum?”

“Hmm?”

“Will you be okay?”

Callum paused at his chore to stare at his brother’s sky-blue orbs with a raised brow. “What do you mean, Ez?”

“Well, I mean…” Ezran twiddled his thumbs with downcast eyes. “You’re going to take over my place - ”

“ _Temporarily_ ,” his brother tutted.

“Temporarily, of course. But…” he trailed off as he clenched the edge of his sheet with both hands. “But both of us know that you don’t like it.”

Ezran didn’t flinch when he felt a dip on the mattress beside him. “Just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean I don’t have to do it. If being your Regent can ensure not only your safety but also the public’s confidence towards our kingdom, then so be it. Besides, it is my obligation as your crowned prince to deal with your unfinished business while you’re out of commission.”

“But it feels like I forced you to take my place,” he mumbled guiltily.

The brothers were taken aback at Opeli's suggestion before they adjourned their meeting.

 _“The Council was in chaos when I broke out the news about what happened, and will get worse once they learn about the culprit’s identity,”_ the cleric told them last night. _“And if one of them is the mastermind, then it’s safer if you stepped away from your kingly duties while on medical leave. Plus, the longer you rest, the faster you will recover, and the sooner you can return to your throne in top shape.”_

_“So you’re telling me that I should choose a regent?”_

_“If you must, your Majesty,”_ she implored. _“We need a regent who shares the same level as your confidence, intelligence, and compassion, and preferably someone who can outwit your enemies with calculated risks.”_

Callum remembered how everyone’s eyes were bored towards his direction with a mixture of plea and pity.

“You know that I love you, right?” the mage prince chuckled, ruffling the boy’s bedhead more much to his displeasure. “And as your older brother, I have a duty to protect you. Besides, I promised Dad that I’m going to be your partner, your defender, and your closest adviser...even though I suck at those.”

Ezran shook his head with a smile, “I prefer the way we are right now, Callum.”

.

.

.

“You’re not wearing a crown,” Rayla commented when Callum joined her for breakfast.

“It’s not necessary unless it’s a formal occasion.”

“So, during the festival then?”

Her boyfriend winced as he pulled a chair beside her. “Uh, let’s hope that we capture our culprit before the festival highlights.”

“Why? You looked so _dashing_ and _intimidating_ when you wear yours.”

“Flatterer.” he rolled his eyes at her snorts. 

Even though there were only two people in the dining room, the long table was filled with food fit for twenty. There were bread toasts, pancakes, omelettes, sausages, and a variety of fresh Xadian fruits - one of the commodities that Katolians benefited after opening a trade with the Earthblood regions.

Whenever Callum and Rayla visited Katolis, Ezran would always join them for breakfast, dragging Corvus or Soren with him much to their amusement. Sometimes Opeli would drop by for a cup of hot brown morning potion, and if there were no major or confidential discussions on the table, the King would allow some of the guards to eat with them and dubbed it as their "second breakfast".

But seeing the empty chairs and the lack of raucous noises in the room reminded the pair of the threats looming within the castle walls.

“So, what’s your agenda for today?”

The elf popped a slice of Xadian orange in her mouth as she mulled over. “Well...I’m planning to visit the armory first to meet up with Soren or Marcos, and maybe have a sparring session if I’m lucky enough. If not then I’ll just head out to the Plaza and visit Sarabi’s shop.”

“Sarabi? Is she that Sunfire elf who interned with Barius last year?”

“Yup. The one and only.”

Callum began to stack his pancakes with berries and smothered it with light syrup. “Her sunbutter cookies are the best.”

“There’s a word circulating here that her moonberry jelly tarts are on par with Barius’ persimmons.”

His brow jerked upward at her sly grin. “Now that’s something I look forward to trying tonight.”

"Barius might not like knowing that his prince regent is choosing his apprentice's goods over his."

"Well, I'll just tell him that his Ladyship bribed him with something he can't refuse."

The couple was about to finish their meals when Opeli entered the dining hall with two guards following behind her.

“Prince Callum, Lady Rayla,” the Council’s cleric greeted them hastily with a bow. “I’m sorry to interrupt your breakfast, Prince Callum, but it seems that there are some pressing matters that require your assistance immediately.”

The mage prince looked at his companion who just shrugged at him casually.

“It’s about the Council, isn’t it?” he asked, then let out an exasperated sigh when he saw the woman’s sour expression. “Do they know about my regency?”

“Not yet, Your Highness.”

“I guess it’s time for me to make my exit,” the Moonshadow elf pressed a chaste kiss lightly on her boyfriend’s temple then whispered. “Go get them, banther.”

“See you tonight?”

“Depends on how long the queue.”

He snorted indignantly when she teased him with a wink.

As soon as Rayla left the premises, his expression went sober as he focused his attention on Opeli, “Can you fill me in some details while we walk?”

The cleric complied meekly as she ushered the prince to the throne room. "The councilors led by Waylon and Everleigh demand to speak to King Ezran about some changes in the leadership, especially with the upcoming Harvest Festival."

"Ugh, Waylon. I hate that man."

The woman pursed her grin as she continued. "They were planning to storm the infirmary first, but Doctor Levi intercepted them for illegal trespassing and disrespect for authority."

"I can't believe a doctor's threats can fold them like a cheap suitcase."

"Let's just say Doctor Levi and Councilor Waylon have a history - but that's not my story to tell."

Callum mentally reminded himself to ask the physician personally about it.

Two Crownguards who were manning the door clicked their boots as they unfolded their spear and opened the room. Inside were five people wearing a similar garb as Opeli but with Katolian blue and wine red colors. Callum immediately recognized Waylon, Everleigh, and Teophel who all shared the same shocked expressions as he entered the room. The other two were Ezran's recent appointees - Naomi, a middle-aged brunette woman with fair skin and amber eyes, and Lupin, Commander Gren's brother.

"We weren't informed of your arrival, Prince Callum," Waylon said.

"Our itinerary has changed due to unforeseen circumstances," Callum replied stoically. "I was so preoccupied with worry and fear for my brother's condition that it slipped my mind to inform the Council of my arrival yesterday."

"And I'm sure you brought your elf with you."

The prince's jaw clenched as he mustered all of his strength not to zap the councilor with Fulminis. "Lady Rayla accompanied me under Queen Zubeia's orders. In fact, the Queen sent one of her dragons to fly us all the way here."

"A d-dragon?!" The councilor's face paled much to Callum's satisfaction. "Y-you allowed a dragon to enter Katolis?!"

"Yup! The said dragon even stayed in the courtyard - "

Everyone except him and Opeli rushed towards the windows to check the courtyard before he added, " -and left Katolis last night."

He was unfazed when Waylon snapped his head towards his direction with a seething glare, "Do you think this is a joke, Prince Callum?!"

"No, I don't." was the prince's reply. He wasn't a type that would make fun of someone's phobia, but the way Waylon reacted wasn't fear.

It was bloodlust.

"If you're concerned that a mere dragon would invoke fear among citizens here, then I'm afraid that your assumption is wrong." he went on. "Besides, how can we convince the public that the dragons are civil if we don't show them their true nature?"

"Only the King can make that decision, not you."

"But the King has granted me the power to create a decision, Councilor Everleigh," Callum stared at the blond man coolly "As his Regent."

There was a loud gasp in the room, followed by Teophel's booming voice, "That's preposterous!"

"No, it's not," Opeli interjected as she faced him squarely. "King Ezran is on medical leave and currently facing a death threat. By the laws of this land, the King has to choose a regent until the threat is gone. And who do you think is the best person to be appointed other than the next in line, Crown Prince Callum?"

"Opeli is right," Councilwoman Naomi said with a nod. "Prince Callum is the only person who can fit the bill."

"Who happened to have a biased view regarding Xadia."

"Let me remind you that King Ezran has an empath bond with the Dragon Prince, Azymondias," Callum answered with a neutral tone. "So his view is as biased as mine."

When the room became silent, the prince regent walked towards the chair where Ezran and their late father Harrow sat. He ran his hands on the armrest deftly and felt the roughness of aged wood against his calloused fingers.

Never in Callum's dreams did he ever wish to occupy the throne, albeit temporarily, but it seems that his fate has its plans.

He turned around and looked at his audience resolutely. "If you have any other questions, feel free to ask it now. Otherwise, I will end this discussion and proceed with my other priorities instead."


	8. Spirited Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soren whistled. "Am I hearing this correctly? Rayla, the unstoppable Moonshadow Crownguard assassin, is actually stoppable?"
> 
> "Shut up," she elbowed him lightly when he snorted. "I'm unstoppable if I want to, but I have to trust Callum to save his own ass or I will kill him myself if he won't."
> 
> "You two have a weird relationship."
> 
> "Our relationship has always been weird since the beginning."

"You looked like a piece of cow droppings," Rayla greeted as she approached Soren sitting all by himself under an old tree. The darkness of his eye bags was prominent against his pale, unshaven face.

"I was so busy reviewing my notes to notice the time," the Crownguard responded, sipping his fourth cup of hot brown morning potion. "Going somewhere?"

"I was planning to invite you for a short spar before I head out to the main square, but it seems that you're not in your top shape."

"Psh, what are you talking about?" he slammed his empty steel cup on the stone bench then stood up. "I may have a lack of sleep, but not a lack of strength. Besides, I need a good warm-up to start my day right."

"Yeah, right." she deadpanned, not buying his words.

"So, are we going to use wooden swords or our real weapons?"

"If you insist," the elf walked towards a pile of wooden swords used for training recruits, then thrust one to Soren's direction who fumbled to catch it.

"Don't blame me if I end up owning your ass in less than three minutes," she said, noting the blond's stiff posture as he prepared his stance.

He scoffed at her taunts. "Don't you dare run to Callum and cry if I made you eat your own words."

"We'll see about that."

It was fairly an early morning so there were no royal guards present in the courtyard to witness their sparring session. Most of them have just retired from their night shifts, while those who were about to fill their place in the morning were probably with their team leaders for their daily briefings.

True to Rayla's words, she beat him within two minutes.

"Get some sleep, Soren." The elf extended her arm to her defeated opponent who was sprawling to the ground, only to withdraw it when he brushed her off.

"I can't. I still haven't found the answer that we've been looking for," he muttered while remaining unmoved from his spot, his clear blue eyes were fixated to the cloudy skies. "The longer we delay this, the riskier it will be for Ez. And I can't allow that to happen."

"Have you tried looking from a different angle?"

"Different angle?"

She slid on the ground with crossed legs, her wooden sword placed on her lap. "Maybe the royal household staff are innocent."

"You said it was an inside job last night."

"I did, but that doesn't mean someone has to be a kitchen boy, a rookie soldier, or a cleaning maid to know the ins and outs of the castle," she explained. "Anyone who can enter the castle without being scrutinized by the guards can be our suspect."

Soren scrunched his face at the idea. "You mean they're one of the guests?"

"Probably a guest," she said. "Or a politician."

This made the Crownguard sit bolt up straight, his mouth gaped like a fish out of the pond as he gave her an incredulous look. "W-What?!"

"They know the ins and outs of the castle," the elf jeered. "And they know the King's schedule way better than any of the castle staff."

Her companion shifted his gaze towards the wing that connects to the throne room. "And Callum…?"

"He knows, and is fully aware of the consequences."

Soren looked at her with a jerked brow. "And you're okay with it?"

"No," she muttered bitterly with downcast eyes, her knuckles turned white as she gripped her wooden sword tightly. "I don't like leaving him alone in a pit of danger, or him doing stuff he hated the most with a bunch of wolves ready to maim him at any opportunity given."

Rayla loosens her grip with a sigh. "But then my presence will only give these wolves some ammunition against him, and as Ez pointed out last night, they will see it as a _'preferential treatment'_ once they learned about the culprit's race. And I...I don't want to become his liability."

Soren whistled. "Am I hearing this correctly? Rayla, the _unstoppable_ Moonshadow Crownguard assassin, is actually _stoppable_?"

"Shut up," she elbowed him lightly when he snorted. "I'm unstoppable if I want to, but I have to trust Callum to save his own ass or I will kill him myself if he won't."

"You two have a weird relationship."

"Our relationship has always been weird since the beginning."

"True," the blond wrinkled his nose as if cringing at the thought. "You're supposed to kill him, but you ended up being mushy with him."

"Hey, I'm not mushy with him," she lied then stood up, patting the dirt that clung to her trousers. "But seriously, Soren. Get some sleep. You might run over to a wall and end up bruising not only your ego if you continue this."

"I'm the head of the Crownguard, remember? I can't afford to be lazy."

"But as the head of the Crownguard, you're supposed to be a role model to your subordinates by showing them not to be a self-sacrificing idiot at the job."

He flashed her a narrow look. "Since when did you learn how to give that advice?"

A big grin was plastered on her face as she replied, "You'll know the answer once you got yourself an insufferable boyfriend."

.

.

.

Two years have passed since the elves began to migrate to Katolis and it still warmed Rayla's heart to witness how two cultures who once thought were impossible to coexist, were now adapting to each other's differences. Like the family-owned Katolian tea shop that she passed by was using Moonshadow wares to serve their patrons or a food cart manned by a Skywing selling elven sweets to human children.

And as she walked around the downtown, the elf couldn't help herself but feel proud of Ezran's accomplishments as a child ruler and how he turned Katolis into one of the most progressive kingdoms in the continent.

"Lady Rayla?" a familiar voice caught her attention, "My Ladyship, is that you?"

"Anita?"

A ginger-haired woman around her age squealed as she jogged towards the elf with a bundle in tow. "My Lady! I'm so glad to see you again!"

"I'm so glad to see you too," she flustered when Anita curtseyed to her. "And you're not supposed to call me a ' _Lady_ ', or even bow to me in public."

"I'm sorry. Just a force of habit," the woman gave her a bashful smile. "So, are you here for the Harvest Festival? Or is it because of the King?"

_Wow, word spreads really fast,_ Rayla thought, "It's both actually. Our itinerary was a bit early than expected."

" _Our_ \- oh yeah, of course, you're with Prince Callum. You two are inseparable," the elf chuckled dryly at the woman's tease. "How's King Ezran, by the way?"

"He's fine. Still chipper as usual," Rayla answered in a casual tone as she tried not to reveal too much information, especially about Callum's regency. She didn't want to spill the beans until tomorrow's announcement.

A gurgling sound coming from Anita's bundle caught the elf's attention. "And who's this cute little wee bairn?"

"This is Farrin, my Lady," the woman said, revealing a swaddled copper-skinned baby with four fingers and a pair of small horns jutted on his thin auburn hair. "His father hired me as his temporary nurse until his mum returned from a business trip. They own a steel supply store here in Katolis, you see, and his father can't look after him while he runs the shop. Plus, the pungent smell of the iron and the constant noises from the metalworks are not suitable environments for babies."

"That sounds reasonable. And I'm sure the pay is better than your previous employer."

"Sunfires pay _way_ generously than Katolian nobles!" Anita exclaimed with glee, only to freeze a bit to check if her voice startled the baby. Luckily it wasn't. With a tempered voice, she went on. "They offer food and lodgings without deducting my salary. Plus Sunfire babies are less temperamental than my younger siblings."

The baby cooed when his nurse poked his nose, then yawned cutely as he succumbed back to sleep.

"I'm so glad to hear that," Rayla smiled as she patted her shoulder. "Since you're here, can you tell me where Sarabi's new place is? Her previous landlord told me that she relocated somewhere here but I don't know which street."

"You mean Sarabi's Bakeshop?" the Moonshadow elf nodded at her inquiry. "It's in Bushroom street. You can get there faster if you enter that alley over there, then turn right after two blocks. Once you pass the Theatre House, you go straight to the left and you'll see the Bushroom street sign. You'll never miss Sarabi's due to the long lines outside her shop."

"This early?"

"My Lady, some people would camp outside her bakeshop overnight so they won't miss her Butternut pie."

"How about her Moonberry jelly tarts?"

"Those are also magnificent," the woman swooned with a sigh. "Honestly, all of her pastries are so damn good. And she sold them at a very affordable price, that's why everyone loves her."

"I better leave now then. I promised someone a box of her jelly tarts, and I don't want to return to the castle empty-handed."

"Don't forget to try her Sunbutter cookies!" Anita added, waving her hand in the distance as the elf jogged towards the alley.

.

.

.

Rayla has never seen so many people - humans and elves alike - lining in front of a shop just to buy pastries. Some of them were not in Katolian garments, which prompted her that they were tourists.

Sarabi's is a small two-story shop located in a very remote street. A large sign _"No dine-ins. Take-outs only"_ was plastered on the glass window facing the road so bypassers can read it easily from a distance.

She knew Sarabi personally - she was one of the Sunfire soldiers under Janai's command who defended the Storm Spire years ago - and with her diplomat position, she can skip the line and secure her jelly tarts without any hassle. But Rayla decided not to pull her ranks and fall in line as any regular person would do.

Besides, the other reason why she went outside the castle was to gather some information, albeit small, that would clue them to their culprit.

And a huge gathering like in Sarabi's was a perfect place to start.

Rayla was glad she brought her Moonshadow hoodie with her to conceal her identity. And with the lack of Katolian or Dragonguard emblems on her clothes, she can easily blend in the crowd like a regular Moonshadow elf.

A man from Evenere who was standing behind her struck a conversation with a male Tidebound elf about rivers and oceans, a topic that made Rayla anxious, so she tried to avert her attention to the people in front of her instead. Politics were being chattered as usual, which bored her immediately, as well as sob stories about romantic relationships. 

Her ears twitched when someone mentioned Everleigh's name.

She tried to focus her attention to the two women standing three steps away from her. They weren't loud or cared if someone was listening to their conversations.

_"Did you know that Everleigh's daughter is in town right now?"_

_"You mean Susanna?"_

_"No, his youngest daughter. Nathalia."_

_"His missing daughter? He found her?"_

_"Apparently, yes. A friend of mine knows one of the family cooks and said that Nathalia arrived in the manor three months ago. And that she was different."_

_"Different? How?"_

_"Well, she doesn't want to eat normal food or she will vomit everything. She also speaks some weird language, and sometimes she would lock herself in her room and will go out if it's night time."_

_"Maybe that's the effect of being spirited away?"_

_"But nothing has changed in her physically - not that anyone has seen her personally after her disappearance."_

_"Then maybe her soul was the one that has been taken. Or maybe her body was still shrouded with magic, that's why no one can see the changes."_

_"That might be the reason why some physicians were visiting the manor. Probably to check her condition."_

_"I don't think they can do anything. They should have brought her to a mage or someone who deals with magic."_

_"Do you think it's wise to bring someone who got spirited away to the elves?"_

_"Do they have any choices? You can't find anyone who practices Dark Magic here in Katolis, plus Prince Callum is in Xadia right now."_

"Erm, excuse me," Rayla interrupted after she apologized to the man behind her for cutting the line. "I'm sorry but I couldn't help myself but listen to your discussions. May I know what you mean by _'spirited away'_?"

The two women looked at each other before one of them gave her a scornful glare, "Who the hell are you?"

The elf adjusted her hood so the two could see her face, then shushed them when they were about to gasp her name, "Please don't make a commotion. I only want your help."

"But My La - "

"Shh, _I beg you_ ," she hissed, making the two nod in haste. "So, care to tell me about this _spirited away_ stuff?"

They looked at each other again, probably doing some mental debate of who will do the explanation, until one of them took a deep sigh, muttering "This is awkward."

"We can try not to be awkward."

"But My La - _Ma'am_ ," the other woman corrected herself then gulped audibly at Rayla's warning glare. "It's ah, uh...the term might be offensive to you."

"Offensive?" the elf jerked her brow in confusion. "How can it be offensive to me if you're using that term to someone else?"

"The implication might be offensive to you, as an elf," her companion replied meekly.

"Ladies," Rayla sighed. "Humans and Elves have insulting words for each other. Whatever the meaning behind those words will have a similar word to Elves. Why don't we trade information instead - you tell me what _spirited away_ is and I will tell you our equivalent."

"Uhm, okay," the woman eyed her companion for a bit before she answered, " _Spirited away_ is our term when a human got kidnapped by the elves."

" _Crossing_."

"What?"

" _Crossing_ is our term when an elf got kidnapped by the humans," Rayla explained. "We call these kidnappers as _Crossers_ because they cross the borders."

"Oh…"

"So, are you both offended with _Crossing_ ?" she asked the two who gave her a head shake. "That's good. Because I'm not even offended with _Spirited Away_."

"Really?" one of the women broke a deep sigh when the elf nodded. "And here we are working ourselves up about something trivial."

"Trivial indeed," Rayla said coolly, "But not to the fact that someone has been taken by the elves."

"It's a rumor actually, My - _Ma'am_ , that Everleigh's daughter was kidnapped by the elves three years ago."

"What made you think that she was kidnapped by the elves?"

"Nathalia went to the Breach the day before she disappeared," the companion told her. "Nobody knows the reason behind why she took that trip. Some believed that she crossed the border all by herself, but the border patrols found no clues that she left to Xadia. All of her belongings, including her money, were left untouched in her cabin. She just vanished without a trace."

"There were rumors that her father asked for the High Mage Viren's help but got rejected," the other woman interjected. "Telling him that his daughter probably eloped with someone."

"But Nathalia never had any lovers at that time. In fact, his father was planning to marry her to Prince Callum."

Rayla choked on her spit.

"And she's five years older than him!" the woman guffawed. "Funny, right?"

"It would be funnier if he tried to marry her to King Ezran," her companion snickered. "Poor Nathalia. She can never marry anyone out of love."

"Maybe if King Ezran will pass a law that anyone can marry their plants."

"Oh yeah, she wanted to become a royal herbalist, right?"

"Interesting," the elf tapped the bottom of her chin with her finger. "And you said that they found her three months ago?"

"Yeah, but my friend's friend believed that they found her way earlier than that. Her family probably hid her somewhere first before they brought her back in the manor for better care."

_I wonder if Ez knows about Everleigh's daughter,_ Rayla thought.

The three were so engrossed with the conversation to notice that they were almost near the bakeshop's counter. 

Rayla turned down the women's offer to take their lines, then went back to her original slot as she brushed off some heated glares darted towards her direction.

**Author's Note:**

> You can drop me a hi in [Tumblr](http://chimpukampu.tumblr.com/) („• ֊ •„)


End file.
